ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis women's basketball loses in its first home game of the season, 73-55, against Middle Tennessee. 

The opening minutes between Middle Tennessee and Saint Louis showed the Billikens being aggressive from the start. 

The Blue Raiders scored most of their first-quarter points at the free-throw line, finishing the quarter 8-for-9 from the foul line. Zhykera Brown and Zya Nugent led their team in scoring, each recording five points in the quarter. The Blue Raiders held a five-point lead after the first ten minutes.

To start the second quarter, Middle Tennessee picked up right where it left off, increasing its lead to 13 points and forcing Saint Louis to call a timeout at the 6:20 mark. The Billikens responded strongly after the timeout, narrowing the gap to 10 points and holding the Blue Raiders scoreless in the final 3:30 minutes of the first half. Middle Tennessee led 37-27 at halftime.

Both teams exchanged baskets to start the second half. Jasaiyah Wallace energized the team off the bench with six points and two rebounds in the quarter. Jada Tiggett's mid-range jumper midway through the quarter brought Saint Louis within ten, but the Blue Raiders stayed strong to keep their lead at 16 points by the end of the third quarter. 

An 8-0 run sparked a strong start for the Billikens, putting them in position for a potential comeback in the fourth quarter, but Middle Tennessee responded with its own 11-0 run to close out the game. 

Notables

- The Billikens swiped nine steals against the Blue Raiders

- Zya Nugent and Zhykera Brown lead the team with 13 points each

- Jasaiyah Wallace recorded eight rebounds in 18 minutes

- Alyssa Koerkenmeier set a new career high with five blocks and scored her first collegiate bucket

UP NEXT

The Billikens return to their home floor this week for a matchup against Northern Illinois on Sunday at 4 p.m.